Hip-Hop Theory: I think Nas always wanted AZ to stay in his shadow

[L. Deezy]

Walk with me for a sec... and older heads please chime in (because I could be wrong... it's just a theory)

Illmatic came out in 1994. It was universally heralded as a classic and Nas was on his way. One of the standout tracks was "Life's a bytch", featuring Brooklyn rapper AZ. It could even be argued that AZ outshined Nas on this track.

While Illmatic was a critical success, it didn't really catch on mainstream. There's no record of any of the singles charting.

In 1995, AZ releases his debut album featuring the hit single "Sugar Hill". "Sugar Hill" topped at 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than any Nas song at that point in his career.

Enter 1996. Nas drops "It Was Written" with his breakout single "If I Ruled the World" "If I Ruled the World" topped out at 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Street Dreams" peaked at 22. [It must have been a timing situation because IIRTW is clearly the more popular song]

From that point on their careers go different directions, but they did collab on the failed Firm project and numerous songs in the future. For some reason, AZ is relegated to underground rapper status while Nas becomes a superstar.

Here's why I think Nas wanted AZ to stay in his shadow.

• Over the years, despite fans CLAMORING for the AZ/Nas collab project, it's never happened. This is largely due to Nas. He's the bigger star and dictates what happens. Nas has never really had a good excuse for the collab not dropping either.
• AZ blew up commercially before Nas, Nas probably felt some way about it. Especially after putting AZ on.
• Nas kept delaying the collabo album and now nobody wants that shyt.

Questions I have for NY/older cats:
Why didn't Sugar Hill launch AZ into superstardom? I remember hearing it all over the radio. It's about a good of a single one can ask for in their career.
Why wasn't AZ seen on Nas' level? He's got the lyrics, flow, and even has the look.
Has there ever been any public beef between the two? (i.e. Did Nas feel some type of way about AZ being in Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" video.)

This is all just theory and an attempt to get some real hip-hop discussion going. Nas is my favorite rapper alive but I always wondered why AZ was underrated.

Not reading all this.. Nas never tried to keep him below him. Stop with the Nas slander.
AZ had shytty production for the most part. Lacked the IT factor. Hell, AZ had the benefit of having Nas' fanbase ear, and still couldnt get over the hump with us. I bought maybe 2 AZ albums. I only go back to listen to a few songs here and there. GOOD but not great music. Wasnt worth that many purchases. Hell, he had eexposure wit Deangelo and still was just what he was. Nobody really ran to AZ for big features.. Are you saying thats Nas fault?

Getouttahere with this shyt..

 

[chineebai]

I think you give AZ too much credit. He is a dope rapper but doesn't have as much commercial appeal. He's one of my favorite rappers too. Also, his rhyme scheme is always the same so you know what to expect with him. He's not blowing your mind with like anything super lyrical, just great rhymes, flow, and production.

 

[DontEemTry]

There is literally NO excuse for there still not being a Nas/AZ collab album.

None.

Other than perhaps Nas being too lazy to work out the details.

 

[L. Deezy]

Stoute said it right.. AZ was in the best era for top 10 all time rappers arguments. You really had to have that IT factor. AZ would be maybe the 5th best rapper even if he was in the Wu.
And thats a stretch.. and thats just the Wu. 90s era. Next yall gonna say Jada held Styles and Sheek down? Lol

 

[AnonymityX1000]

Pieces of a Man and 9 Lives sucked is the real answer. Doe or Die was a good commercial album. He never followed-up with anything remotely similar quality wise.
As far as them doing an album yeah missed opportunity. But Nas has said many things he planned to do that just never happened. Add the AZ album to that pile.

 

[AMcV'88]

meh...AZ would have actually had to have been became star first to see if that happened.
could Nas have did more ? thats up to AZ but seems to me Nas was mostly there if AZ needed him and AZ's shortcomings were down to himself.

AZ just made constant wrong choices, weak albums and didn't have someone in his corner to help the push him while he coasted on his laid back demeanor (Big had pPuff, Nas had Stoute and Jay had Dame)

like i said before.....AZ as nice as he is, is a bit of a follow the leader.

Pieces of A Man was your typical late 90's TrackMasters helmed album.
9 Lives sounds like a weaker version of one of the Jay Volumes
Aziatic is poor mans Rocafella album.

he chased sounds with knock offs of what better producers were doing. he really had a producer on 9 Lives do his best DJ Premier impression on several beats and then Timbaland on the other few and as i said, Aziatic sounded like a bunch of beats that were Rocafella album reject beats.

AZ is the rapper that if you go through them all, should be flourishing as he got older but he hasn't put out shyt in years.

 

[Huellz Santana]

Nas at NO point hindered AZ’s career. He actually HELPED it.

Put him on Illmatic
Put him on It Was Written
Was on two songs on Doe Or Die
Put him in the Firm
Was in a Sprite Commercial together
Put him on Stillmatic
Was on Aziatic

I mean what MORE would you want Nas to do? Hell Nas arguably did more for AZ than he did his and his brother’s group The Bravehearts.

The major difference between Nas and AZ’s careers is that Nas had Steve Stoute in his corner early and Nas even said that Steve forced him to bite the apple of success. Steve hooked Nas up with Trackmasters, Steve Hooked Nas up with Will Smith, Steve had a vision to make Nas a superstar and they did that shyt.

AZ didn’t have anybody in his corner that was hungry enough to see him be THAT guy. If you look at pretty much any Hip Hop Star, they had someone in their corner who worked their ass off to help them get the access they needed to blow.

Cormega, Tradgedy, and Nore have all said how Nas was scared to be out rapped by AZ which is why no joint album ever happened. And I gotta say I believe what they say. Nas did a joint album with Damian Marley but not AZ lol.​

 

[Heavy_Handz]

Nas went from Illmatic and then some very very classic verses on Songs that were on classic albums like Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (Verbal Intercourse), The Infamous (Eye For An Eye) 4,5,6 (Fast Life W/G Rap), and then dropped If I Rule The World In 96. He just stayed so relevant and his commercial appeal was great. AZ, after Sugar Hill & Doe or Die, waited too long to drop his 2nd album. It seemed like an eternity waiting for an album from 95-99. They dropped The Firm album but that shyt flopped. Then his second album didn’t have any commercially viable songs that hit. He became sort of forgotten. Can’t blame Nas. It’s not like he didn’t do The Firm album with AZ. It just didn’t hit like we thought it would. Bad execution

 

[BaRRyG]

Walk with me for a sec... and older heads please chime in (because I could be wrong... it's just a theory)

Illmatic came out in 1994. It was universally heralded as a classic and Nas was on his way. One of the standout tracks was "Life's a bytch", featuring Brooklyn rapper AZ. It could even be argued that AZ outshined Nas on this track.

While Illmatic was a critical success, it didn't really catch on mainstream. There's no record of any of the singles charting.

In 1995, AZ releases his debut album featuring the hit single "Sugar Hill". "Sugar Hill" topped at 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than any Nas song at that point in his career.

Enter 1996. Nas drops "It Was Written" with his breakout single "If I Ruled the World" "If I Ruled the World" topped out at 53 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Street Dreams" peaked at 22. [It must have been a timing situation because IIRTW is clearly the more popular song]

From that point on their careers go different directions, but they did collab on the failed Firm project and numerous songs in the future. For some reason, AZ is relegated to underground rapper status while Nas becomes a superstar.

Here's why I think Nas wanted AZ to stay in his shadow.

• Over the years, despite fans CLAMORING for the AZ/Nas collab project, it's never happened. This is largely due to Nas. He's the bigger star and dictates what happens. Nas has never really had a good excuse for the collab not dropping either.
• AZ blew up commercially before Nas, Nas probably felt some way about it. Especially after putting AZ on.
• Nas kept delaying the collabo album and now nobody wants that shyt.

Questions I have for NY/older cats:
Why didn't Sugar Hill launch AZ into superstardom? I remember hearing it all over the radio. It's about a good of a single one can ask for in their career.
Why wasn't AZ seen on Nas' level? He's got the lyrics, flow, and even has the look.
Has there ever been any public beef between the two? (i.e. Did Nas feel some type of way about AZ being in Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" video.)

This is all just theory and an attempt to get some real hip-hop discussion going. Nas is my favorite rapper alive but I always wondered why AZ was underrated.

Jigga took AZ style and perfected it on RD... He then changed with the time, made the record with puff and never looked back. AZ didn't have a team like Nas or Hov either.

Nas knew the potential tho, knew AZ wasbthebibe

 

[Ziggiy]

M

Cormega, Tradgedy, and Nore have all said how Nas was scared to be out rapped by AZ which is why no joint album ever happened. And I gotta say I believe what they say. Nas did a joint album with Damian Marley but not AZ lol.​

Receipts? I’ve never heard any of them say that Nas was scared of being outrapped by the SAME AZ he put on the Firm and has done over TEN songs with....

 

[AnonymityX1000]

M


Receipts? I’ve never heard any of them say that Nas was scared of being outrapped by the SAME AZ he put on the Firm and has done over TEN songs with....

Yeah, I never heard that either.

 

[King Sun]

From what I understood his was on a label that didn't know what to do with him. AZ was just in the wrong place at the wrong time in the 90s

 

[NormanConnors]

AZ's label dropped the ball with his second release, as far as sample clearances, promo, rollout, across the board. It was downhill from there.

 

[Rekkapryde]

at yall shyttin on the homie @Mr Hate Coffee

But yeah, others already cleared this up in this thread fam. Nas did more for AZ than any other artist he's ever worked with. The receipts cats brought up are clear as day.

 

[teeswinger]

I came up around that time and from what I remember AZ was supposed to blow with that second album pieces of a man. Me and my boys heavily anticipated it but it kept getting pushed back. When that shyt dropped finally it was terrible besides a few joints. He never recovered.